Rocking chair and leg rest



March 27, 1934 J. G. BATT 1,952,963

ROCKING CHAIR AND LEG REST I I Filed April 11, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet. l

- v I 20 INVENTOR WITNESSES 1 T Jaeob G. Bait flod I ATTORNEYS March 27, 1934.

J. G. BATT 1,952,963

ROCKING CHAIR AND LEG iiEST Filed Apfil 11, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR x lwmuzssrss Jacob GJBatt ATTORNEY v Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES ROCKING CHAIR AND LEG REST Jacob G. Batt, New York, N. Y.

Application April 11, 1933, Serial No. 665,607

Claims.

This invention relates to an article which combines the features and advantages of a rocker and a couch or lounge.

The principal object of the invention is the 15; provision of an article of the indicated character,

which embodies all of the features of body soothing and mind resting comfort and relaxation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a combined rocker and leg rest, which enables the user to derive the soothing effect of rocking motion while the legs of the user are resting in stretched out positions.

A further object is the provision of an article having the features mentioned in the last preceding paragraph, with the additional feature that the leg rest will be movable longitudinally in response to the rocking movement of therocker, without appreciable movement of the rocker back rest with respect to the back of the user.

A still further object is the provision of an article as characterized in the last preceding paragraph, having means to prevent relative movement of the rocker and leg rest from an adjusted relationship.

With the foregoing, other objects of the invention will appear from the embodiment of the invention which, by way of example, is described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view and part section, with portions broken away, the section being taken on the line 11 of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is an end view and part section, the section being taken through the rocker elements indicated by the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan View;

Figure 4 is a side view on a small scale showing the components thereof in a normal relationship; and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, with portions broken away and showing the components retained against relative movement in an adjusted relationship.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will be apparent that there is shown an article which comprises a rocker section or structure 10 adapted to rock on the floor, and a second section or structure 11 providing a seat on the rear end thereof and leg rest forwardly and in continuation of t-e seat for the user, which is caused to move principally longitudinally and to rock slightly in response to the rocking movement imparted to the rocker section 10 by the user.

The rocker section or structure 10 comprises rocker elements 12 adapted to rock on the floor, which are arranged in spaced relation, and a back 13 whi-h has the lower portion thereof secured to the rocker elements 12 between them and the major portion of the back extending upwardly from the rocker elements 12. Each of the rocker elements 12 is of hollow construction and comprises a frame 14 and enclosing sides 15 which have a contour similar to that of the frame 14. The bottom 16 of the frame 14 is of arcuate formation, the same being described from one or more points on a vertical line passing through the center of gravity of the rocker section 10. The frame 14 also provides an arm rest 1'7. It" is to be understood that the back 13 may be of any preferred construction and that itmay be upholstered. V a

The second section or structure 11, as stated,

provides a seat 18 and a leg rest 19. The section or structure 11 may be of any suitable construction and may be upholstered. The upper surface of the section 11 slopes in opposite directions from an intermediate point so that the seat 18 will slope rearwardly and downwardly, while the leg rest 19 will slope forwardly and downwardly. The construction is such that when the user is seated on the seat 18 the users legswill be slightly bent at the knees while in a comfortable position on the leg rest 19. In order to facilitate the movement of the section 11, one or more rollers, [there being one roller 20 provided in the present instance] is disposed near the forwardend of the section 11 on the underside thereof. The roller 20 ismounted in suitable bearings or brackets 21 secured tothe under side of the section 11, so that the roller may roll in contact with the floor and at the same time support the forward end of the section 11 elevated from the floor, and also to allow slight rocking movement of the section 11. In order to connect the. section 11 with the rocker section 10 so that the former will move in response to the rocking movement imparted to the latter, there is employed suitable means which is movable with and with respect to the rocker section 10 and also engaged with the seat or rear end of the section 11. The said means in the present instance consists of a stirrup 22 in the form of a metal strap of U-forrn, providing side portions 23 joined by a horizontally disposed foot portion 24. The side portions 23 of the stirrup 22 are disposed respectively within the rocker elements 12 and the upper end of each of said side portions 23 is pivotally connected with a transverse pivot 25 supported by spacer-bearings 26 secured respectively to the sides 15. The pivots 25 are in axial alinement and are disposed in advance of the center of gravity of the rocker section 10 in the normal position of said rocker section 10, and also during its rocking movement in either direction. Washers 27 surround the pivot 25 on opposite sides of the upper end of each side portion 23 between it and the bearings 26 to facilitate movement of the stirrup 22.

Each of the inner sides 15 of the rocker elements 12 has an arcuate slot 28 which is concentrict to the related pivot 25 so as to accommodate the bottom portion 24 of the stirrup which moves in the slot. The seat end of the section 11 is sup ported by the foot portion 24 of the stirrup 22. The seat end of the section 11 is disposed between the rocker elements 12 so that the seat 18 will be disposed in proper relation with respect to the back 13. The frame 14 of each rocker element 12 has resilient buffers 29 secured thereto, disposed respectively at the ends of the slot 28 for the purpose of cushioning the stirrup 22 and limiting the swinging movement thereof.

In accordance with an important feature of the invention, the pivots 25, which are in axial alignment, are disposed so that the pivotal connection of the stirrup 22 will occur approximately coincidental with the hip joints of the user while the user is seated on the seat 18. By reason of this provision there will not be any appreciable movement of the section 10 with respect to the user while seated on the seat 18 with the legs resting on the leg rest 19 and the users back in contact with the back 13.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the user of the article hereinabove described may impart rocking movement to the rocker section 10, which will cause longitudinal movement of the section 11 in response thereto, there being a certain amount of upward movement of the seat end of the section 11 during the rearward longitudinal movement of the latter. Therefore, it will be apparent that the user may derive the soothing effect of a rocking motion while the legs of the f user are resting in comfortable stretched-out positions on the leg rest 19.

If necessary, each of the rocker elements 12 may be provided with a counterweight 30 to pro vide the necessary balance to the rocker section 10 and to bring about the proper return rocking movement of the rocking section 10. If desired, suitable means may be provided to prevent rocking movement of the rocker section 10 and to retain the section 10 in a position so that the user 7 may almost assume a reclining position, as indicated in Figure 5. The said means consists of a flexible element or piece of cable 31 which has the opposite ends thereof secured, as at 32, to the seat end of the section 11, and this cable 31 may be engaged with hooks 33 on the lower side of the back 13, as shown in Figure 5.

I claim:

1. An article of the character described comprising a rocker section adapted to rock on the floor, said rocker section having a back rest, a second section providing a seat in proximity to said back rest for the user, and also a support for the users legs, said second section having means on the underside of the foot end which facilitates movement of the second section on the floor, and means movable with and with respect to said rocker section which aids said first means to support said second section, and also to cause the movement of the second section in response to the rocking movement imparted to the rocker section by the user.

2. An article of the character described comprising a rocker section adapted to rock on the floor, said rocker section having a back rest, a second section providing a seat on the rear end thereof in proximity to said back rest for the user, and also a support for the users legs, said second section having means which supports the front end of said second section and which facilitates movement of the second section on the floor, and means pivotally connected with said rocker section to support the seat end of said second section, and also to cause the movement of the second section in response to the rocking movement imparted to the rocker section by the user.

3. An article of the character described comprising a rocker section adapted to rock on the floor, said rocker section having a back rest a second section providing a seat on the rear end thereof in proximity to said back rest for the user, and also a support in continuation of the seat for the users legs, said second section having means on the underside of the front end of said second section which facilitates movement of the second section on the floor, and means pivotally connected with said rocker section which is engaged with the seat end of said second section, to cause the movement of the second section in response to the rocking movement imparted to the rocker section by the user.

4. An article of the character described comprising a rocker section adapted to rock on the floor, said rocker section having a back rest a second section providing a seat on the rear end thereof in proximity to said back rest for the user, and also a support in advance of the seat for the users legs, said second section having means which facilitates movement of the second section on the floor, and a stirrup carried by said rocker section which supports the rear end of said second section, to cause the movement of the second section in response to the rocking movement imparted to the rocker section by the user.

5. An article of the character described comprising a rocker structure, and a second structure providing a seat for'the user and a support for the users legs, said rocker structure consisting of spaced rocker elements and a back element secured to said elements between them and rockable therewith, said rocker elements beingrockable on the floor, means on the front end of said second structure to support it on the floor for movement in relation thereto, and suspension means pivotally connected with said rocker elements above the seat, which is engaged with the rear end of the second structure, so that the seat is disposed in proximity to the back element, and to cause the movement of the second structure in response to the rocking movement imparted to the rocker structure by the user.

6. An article of the character described comprising a rocker section adapted to rock on the floor, said rocker section having a back rest a second section providing a seat on one end thereof in proximity to said back rest for the user, and also a rest in advance of the seat for the users legs, said second section having means which facilitates movement of the second section on the floor, and a stirrup pivotally connected with the rocker section which supports the seat end of the second section, so that the latter will move with the former, in response to the rocking movement imparted to the rocker section by the user, the pivotal connection of the stirrup being disposed to be approximately coincidental with the hip joints of the user while the user is seated on said seat.

7. In an article of the character described, spaced connected rocker elements adapted to rock on the floor and having a back rest between them, a second element providing a seat on one end thereof in proximity to said back rest for the user, and also a rest in advance of the seat for the users legs, the seat end of said second element being disposed between said rocker elements, the front end of the second ele-" ment having means .for supporting it from the floor, and a stirrup pivotally connected with said rocker elements supporting the seat end of said second element, so that the second element will move longitudinally in opposite directions in response to the rocking movement imparted to the rocker elements by the user.

8. In an article of the character described, spaced connected rocker elements adapted to rock on the floor and having a back rest between them, a second element providing a seat on one end thereof in proximity to said back rest for the user, and also a rest in advance of the seat for the users legs, the seat end of said second element being disposed between said rocker elements, the front end of the second element having means for supporting it from the floor, a stirrup pivotally connected with said rocker elements supporting the seat end of said second element, so that the second element will move longitudinally in opposite directions in response to the rocking movement imparted to the rocker elements by the user, and means on the rocker elements engaged by said stirrup to limit the rocking movement of said rocker elements.

9. In an article of the character described, spaced connected rocker elements of hollow construction adapted to rock on the floor, a second element providing a seat on one end thereof for the user, and also a rest in advance of the seat for the users legs, the seat end of said second element being disposed bet-ween said rocker elements, the front end of the second element having means for supporting it from the floor, and a stirrup pivotally connected with said rocker elements interiorly thereof and extending through arcuate slots therein concentric to said pivotal connections, said stirrup thus mounted supporting the seat end of said second element, so that the second element will move longitudinally in 0pposite directions in response to the rocking movement imparted to the rocker elements by the user.

10. In article of the character described, a rocker structure adapted to rock on the floor and having a back rest, a second structure embodying a seat in proximity to the back rest on which a person may be seated with the back of the person against said back rest, and means connecting said structures together so that said second structure will move longitudinally in response to the rocking movement imparted to the first structure by the person while seated on said seat, said means including a pivotal connection above the seat.

11. In an article of the character described, a rocker structure adapted to rock on the floor and having a back rest, a second structure embodying a seat in proximity to the back rest on which a person may be seated with the back of the person against said back rest, and means connecting said structures together so that said second structure will move longitudinally in response to the rocking movement imparted to the first structure by the person while seated on said seat, said means including a pivotal connection above the seat in advance of the center of gravity of said first structure.

12. An article of the character described comprising a rocker section, and a users seat and leg rest section, said rocker section comprising spaced connected rockers and a back fixedly secured to the rockers between them, said rockers being adapted to rock on the floor, means connecting said sections together with the seat disposed between said rockers in proximity to said back, so that the seat and leg rest section will move in response to the rocking movement imparted to the rocker section by the user, and means to prevent rocking of the rocker section.

13. In an article of the class described, a rocker section adapted to rock on the floor and having an upwardly and rearvvardly inclined back; a second section extending forwardly with respect to the rocker section, and means connecting the rear end of the second section with the rocker section so that the second section will be longitudinally movable in response to the rocking movement of the rocker section, said second section providing a seat which slopes downwardly and rearwardly with respect to said back, and also providing a leg rest which slopes forwardly and downwardly with respect to said seat.

1 1. An article of the character described, comprising spaced rocker elements connected by a back rest between them, a seat and leg rest supported by means on the front end which may roll in contact with the floor, and said seat being disposed in proximity to the back rest between said rocker elements and connected therewith by means for effecting longitudinal movement of the seat and leg rest with rocking movement of the back rest and rocker elements.

15. An article of the character described, com prising spaced rocker elements connected by a back rest between th m, a seat and leg rest supported by means on the front end which may roll in contact with the floor, and said seat being disposed in proximity to the back rest between said rocker elements and supported therefrom by a stirrup for eiiecting longitudinal movement of the seat and leg rest with rocking movement of the back rest and rocker elements.

JACOB G. BATT. 

